1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to animated bird decoys and more particularly to water fowl decoys that simulate the typical head and neck movement and wing movement of feeding birds.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Animated game bird decoys have been designed to realistically replicate various movements of feeding birds in an attempt to provide a spread of decoys with added realism to live birds. Examples of such designs are described in the patents issued to Larry L. Jackson, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,896,448 and 5,036,614. Respectively, they describe means for moving the wings of a sitting or standing decoy and for imparting a tilling movement to simulate a feeding bird. A major drawback to some of the proposed designs for providing animation is the need to incorporate self-contained and powered mechanisms that impart an unnatural mechanical aspect to the decoys as the movements are repeated at regular intervals. Likewise, as is true for any self-contained mechanical mechanism, they can be subject to failure at inopportune times due to wear and exposure to weather. This is particularly troublesome with goose decoys that receive rough usage under preferably inclement weather conditions. Further, self-powered mechanical devices, while not necessarily complex, are nonetheless relatively expensive for decoy use. Game bird decoys are used in large numbers and must be sold relatively inexpensively in quantity for the average waterfowl hunters to be able to justify their cost.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive game bird decoy that can be animated by the hunter in a realistic manner to simulate the movements of live birds which are feeding.
Likewise, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple mechanical mechanism for providing wing and head and neck movement which is powered by the hunter and not susceptible of mechanical failure under the conditions of its use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mechanism which can be employed to easily convert a commercial decoy to the animated game bird decoy of the present invention.